In a major legal blow, Bollywood actor Rajpal Yadav surrendered to the Tihar Jail authorities in Delhi at 4:00 PM on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
The surrender followed the Delhi High Court’s firm refusal to extend the deadline for his six-month prison sentence. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted that “leniency cannot be extended endlessly,” especially after the actor repeatedly failed to honor court-mandated payment settlements.
The Case: Cheque Bouncing & Unpaid Loans
The trouble dates back to 2010, when Rajpal Yadav and his wife, Radha, took a loan of ₹5 crore from the company M/s Murali Projects Pvt. Ltd. to finance his directorial debut film, Ata Pata Lapata.
- The Debt: Yadav reportedly agreed to repay ₹8 crore. However, after the film failed at the box office, the cheques issued for the repayment bounced due to insufficient funds.
- The Settlement: Despite multiple legal interventions and a revised settlement of ₹7 crore, seven separate cheques issued by the actor were dishonored, leading to a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.
The Legal Timeline
The case has seen over a decade of litigation, with the courts consistently finding the actor at fault.
| Year/Date | Event |
| April 2018 | A magisterial court convicts Rajpal and Radha Yadav, sentencing them to 6 months in prison. |
| Jan 2019 | A sessions court upholds the conviction. The actor challenges this in the High Court. |
| June 2024 | The Delhi High Court stays the sentence temporarily to allow for an amicable settlement. |
| Oct 2025 | Yadav deposits ₹75 lakh, but a massive balance (reportedly ₹9 crore including interest) remains. |
| Jan 2026 | Yadav fails to meet a final deadline to pay ₹2.10 crore by January 19. |
| Feb 2, 2026 | HC slams Yadav’s “deprecated conduct” and orders him to surrender by February 4. |
| Feb 5, 2026 | After a final plea for a 1-week extension is rejected, Rajpal Yadav surrenders at Tihar Jail. |
The High Court’s Stance
The court expressed strong disapproval of the actor’s habit of seeking adjournments while failing to pay. Justice Sharma remarked:
“This Court cannot be expected to show or create special circumstances for any person merely because such a person belongs to a particular background or industry… Law rewards its compliance, not its contempt.”
What Happens Next?
Rajpal Yadav will now serve the six-month imprisonment awarded by the trial court. His legal team may file fresh applications for relief or bail only after he has fully complied with the surrender order.